In the past few days I have had inquires about the Varied Thrush in Falcon Heights and also about other Varied Thrushes in the Metro area. The Falcon Heights bird was last seen on Jan. 31 and there was a possible sighting on Feb.1.Those are the last reports.I do not know anything about the others,perhaps someone else does. The large flocks of Robins and Cedar Waxwings have also moved out of our neighborhood but a flock of Robins was seen not to far away in the University Grove area. Just a few waxwings and Siskins around. A unrelated item:For many years there have been wintering White-throated Sparrows in downtown Minneapolis near the Hennepin County Government Center.One year at least 10 were there most of the winter.Since I do not go there much these days,I had not checked the area this winter.Last week I checked and found that the area south of the Center where the birds were seen has been"improved". The shrubbery where the birds were usually found is gone and I saw no birds,not even House Sparrows. Manley Olson
